After an extremely tough two years, the launch of Vivid has seen Sydney hotels experience their best weekend occupancy figures since 2019.
Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) CEO Michael Johnson said the lights extravaganza has seen hotel bookings jump to above 80 per cent for the first time since the pandemic began with visitors flocking into the city from across regional NSW and other states.
“This is a far cry from last year when entire floors of hotels were closed – indeed some accommodation hotels were actually shut – due to the lack of visitors,” Johnson said.
“Destination NSW and the State Government should be congratulated for staging an event which is giving the struggling tourism accommodation sector such a boost in the quiet winter months.
“The economic flow-on effects to pubs, restaurants and other small businesses in the CBD will be in the millions over the three-week event.”
Accommodation Association CEO Richard Munro said the run-away success of Vivid has once again highlighted the chronic hospitality labour shortage.
“It’s ironic many hotels have to turn travellers away because they don’t have enough staff, after two years of having staff but no travellers,” Munro said.
“Capped visitor numbers mean some venues can’t take full advantage of Vivid’s popularity.”
TAA and Accommodation Australia will be working closely with the new Federal Government on this issue and welcome the Albanese Government’s recent $10m initiative towards promoting Australians back into the hospitality industry.
Data for the last week of May (which included the launch of Vivid) showed revenue per available room (RevPAR) up 65.5% against the same week in May last year.
Occupancy peaked at 82.8% on Saturday, May 28 and could have been higher if labour shortages and hotels capping did not have to occur.
Featured Image: Facebook/Vivid Sydney
